Congratulations! You passed your ACE certification exam! All that studying and stressing finally paid off. But now what do you do? How long does your certificate last? Where is the info about operating as a professional? And when are you going to get that shiny certificate in the mail? Lucky for you, we’ve got those answers below…

Your Certificate!

You should receive your certificate by mail approximately 4-6 weeks after your certification exam. Of course, you will want to make sure the address on your account is up to date so we can get that sent out to you. But what if you need a copy of your cert in the meantime? What if the boss is insisting on seeing it right now? Well, you can log into your ACE account, look under ‘Professional Tools’, then click ‘My Certifications’. You can click ‘Proof of Certification Letter’ and print off a letter from ACE indicating your cert status and expiration date.

Your Account!

Yes, I know you’ve probably logged into your ACE account before…but once you are a certified professional you will find many more links and resources available to you. There are links for business resources and the ACE logo, a link to update your CRP/AED status, links to the SportDiscus research database and legislative support center, and links for continuing education and ways to earn credits while you build your knowledge.

Once you are a certified professional you can log into your account and update your profile listing. The profile listing is what the public sees if they go to the ‘Find an ACE Trainer’ link, and since it is a possible connection to new clients you’ll want to put your best foot forward. If you haven’t already, go to Find an ACE Trainer, put in your zip code, and see what some of your peers are saying to promote themselves.

Recertification!

But I just got certified…why are we already talking about recertification? Well, because at the end of two years you will need to recertify by submitting proof of current CPR/AED status, proof of completion of 2.0 CECs of continuing education, and the recertification fee.

Those 2.0 CECs of continuing education is why we want to talk about recertification now. 2.0 CECs is the equivalent of 20 hours of continuing education (remember, that’s to be earned over 2 years). My first recommendation would be to log into your account, and select ‘My Career Path’ from the listing under ‘My Continuing Education’. This interactive tool will help you develop your career plan as it relates to continuing education.

And having a plan is important! Rather than just taking any old continuing education course, why not spend your CEC dollars wisely and take courses that will help you further your professional career. Interested in older adults? Then taking courses on youth fitness probably isn’t the best choice. The ‘My Career Path’ tool can also help you out by providing suggestions of courses that may fit your specific goals/needs.

You can also check out the ‘Continuing Education’ page on the ACE website to see what courses are available. There are options there for everyone, and maybe some you had never considered. Live courses, at home courses, online courses…courses from ACE and courses from other providers, small courses and large courses – that page has everything!

Now that you are certified the fun is just beginning. As you build your knowledge and grow your skills, don’t forget to check back on the ACE website (and your account) to see what is new and exciting! And good luck as a certified ACE professional!